Hospitals have been hit by antiretroviral drugs (ARV) shock outs for three months with many Ugandans now panicking over their next move. An estimated 1.5 million Ugandans are living with the HIV.
According to media reports, Kumi District is the most hit with Dr. Simon Oluka, the officer in charge of Atutur Hospital in Kumi attributing the problem to government’s new HIV policy called “test and treat/start”, that puts everybody found positive n medication immediately.
Oluka and his team made an emergency order to the National Medical Store (NMS) that is yet to deliver any drugs yet even a number of Hepatitis B patients have been relying on ARVs in Kumi.
TB drugs and testing kits are also over, Suzan Okwakol, the deputy district health officer in charge of maternal and child health also revealed.
“Why do those in charge wait for the stock out before re-ordering,” NMS general manager Moses Kamabare reacted.
These challenges are also affecting other parts of Uganda like Mityana, Mpigi, Bududa, Kumi, Mayuge and Mbale districts.
Ministry of Health’s AIDS control manager, Dr. Joshua Musinguzi, however, says some districts order for few drugs and they then say they don’t have enough to distribute to the patients.
